I'm Going To Regret This
by Janey Faith Banquee
Summary: Hermione is back at school after the war to redo her seventh year, with many things playing on her mind. Draco is back for redemption but can't resist taunting everyones faviourite muggleborn. Until feelings begin to change. Dramione. HG-DM HP-GW RW-LB
1. Dumbfounded

This is set after the seventh book as the characters go back to redo thier seventh year. It's Dramione and I will attempt to keep people in character for you, but I don't know how much I can promise (:

Disclaimer: I think it's a little obvious I don't own them, or I would be rolling in money on my floor right now, saying "Muhahahahaa" and not trying to write this (:

Chapter One

Dumbfounded.

Hermione reached up to pick up a new copy of "Advanced Potions". She flipped through it, sighing as she did so. She was really just trying to occupy her mind from memories. She put it carefully back into the empty slot she had pulled it from, wedging back between its neighbouring books. The war may have ended but the stress of the Ministry and the threat of remaining Deatheaters was evident through the heightened security regimes and curfews. Ron had kissed her during the war but it didn't seem to have gone anywhere. Her parents were in Australia and an Auror was locating them as she stayed at the Weasleys, but she was tired of the awkwardness with Ron. She pulled a list out of the pocket of her jacket and flipped hit between her fingers, sighing again.

"Try not to use up ALL the air with your tiring sighs, Mudblood, some of the people in here are actually _worth _preserving..." a voice drawled from nearby.

She rolled her eyes and turned to flick off the scab that was Draco Malfoy.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she questioned irritably.

He snatched Granger's list from her hand and looked up and down it,

"Oh dear, bookworm, you seem to be behind, with only two days left of the holidays!" He mock 'tsk'-ed, "I hope this means you _won't _be joining us."

Her lips curled into a snarl and she snatched the list back from him.

"Why are they even letting you back in after the war, _ferret?_" she spat.

A look of anger crossed his face for a split second before he plastered his arrogant smirk back across his pale features. A retort was ready to burst from his mouth when some loud crashing and screaming from outside tore his attention away from Granger.

"What the hell was that?" she gasped, eyes widening. Then they both made for the door, wands drawn, fighting for dominance to fit out the doorframe. They both looked up and down the street outside.

"Knockturn Alley," Draco muttered, and to his dismay, Granger began running after him towards the location of trouble. Of course, the attention seeking _Golden Trio_ had to get in on it.

He rounded on her at the divide between Knockturn and Diagon, where another smaller alley way ran horizontally to the side.

"What the hell, Granger?" He growled.

"I don't want to let someone like you out of my sight; you could be helping the Deatheaters for Godric's sake – _again!_" She snarled at him.

There was a few screams behind them and he shoved her down the small alley way. They were pressed against each other awkwardly and they hid in the shadows.

"Maybe I should offer you up as bate so they'd leave." He muttered angrily.

"Maybe i should stun you now and leave them to kill you for betraying them." She shot back. But each verbal attack was barely a whisper due to the situation.

"Mudbloods! Bring out your stinking Mudbloods!" A voice cried, following it up with a cackle as more spells were fired.

Hermione stiffened.

"Nott." Malfoy muttered.

"Not what?" she snapped at him.

He growled, irritated,

"Nott, the Deatheater, Theodore Nott's father." He snarled at her, annoyed by her idiocy.

"Muggle-borns, he wants muggle-borns. And I am easily the most recognisable," she whispered, her voice full of fear, "and our hiding spot isn't actually as well hidden or foolproof as I'd like.."

"Always complaining"

"Malfoy!"

The laugh was getting closer, he groaned,

"Glamour charm?" was his first query,

"Too long."

"No Polyjuice on you?"

"Yes, because I carry that around." Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but the panic was evident.

"I'm tempted to hex you, Granger, and not just because it'll cover your face.." He said, cocking one eyebrow.

"Just do something, Malfoy."

He sighed and shut his eyes, massaging the bridge of his nose. The screams were gaining and the spells were shooting right past their hiding place now, bright red and an occasional green. The killing curse.

Draco's eyes shot open. Granger's eyes were panicked pleading. He could tell she couldn't think of anything.

"I'm going to regret this." He muttered wearily. She looked up at him, quizzically, and then he pressed his lips to hers.

Nott rounded the corner, cackling his head off. It shook through his thin, stooped frame as he fired more silent curse through windows, overturning street seller's tables and various bins. There were screams and shouts as he duelled with passersby who tried to help the situation, picking them off one by one.

Then his gaze focused on something. A platinum blonde haired boy was entwined with a messy haired brunette witch. He tilted his head, it was obviously the young Malfoy, Draco, but he couldn't tell who the witch was. He vaguely recognised her but he couldn't place her. She must be pureblood to be with a Malfoy like that, though, he concluded. Then he chuckled, he'd always liked Draco, and he disapparated with a crack as some Aurors sprinted towards him, wands drawn, to join the fight.

Hermione was shocked at first as his lips came crushing down onto hers, she was still for a few seconds, not entirely sure what was happening, but his lips moved seductively across hers, not showing signs of letting up. She kissed back, which took him slightly off guard, before he fought back, tracing his tongue across her bottom lip so that she opened up to let him in. He licked softly at the inside hollow of her cheek, running the tip of his tongue up the roof of her mouth. His arms trailed around her waist, one moved to her lower back and one traced up her spine as she snaked her arms around his neck, one tangling into his tousled blonde hair, that hadn't been gelled or slicked back in a while. Her tongue followed the length of his own, caressing it then trailing into his mouth. A small moan emitted from her as he pressed her closer to him.

He heard the crack behind them as Nott disapparated, but ignored it for a few seconds seeing as she hadn't seem to of heard. Then he pulled away. Her eyes stayed shut and he studied her face before releasing her and leaving.

Her eyes snapped open and she stood, staring at nothing for a while, dumbfounded, before continuing off down Diagon Alley, not really paying attention, her head now lumbered with more than before.

Thankyou for reading, please rate and review (:

Loves muchly,

Janey x


	2. Boarding

**Many thanks to bunny08, DukeBrymin, Guildam595, Slam2k, and kieraajadee, this is for you (: **

Chapter Two

Boarding

Hermione dragged her trunk through the magic barrier at Platform 9 ¾, groaning at the weight of new books. Her eyes raked the crowds, searching until Ron, Harry and Ginny waved her over. She beamed and started over to them. She looked bemusedly at Harry with his arm slung round Ginny's waist. Harry went a little red as he caught her looking, and Ginny smiled smugly, leaning up and kissing Harry on the cheek. Ron leant forward to kiss Hermione but she dodged it slightly to turn it into a hug. He looked disgruntled but accepted. Ginny's confused look penetrated Hermione's vision. Harry, sensing the situation, tried to overcome the slight awkwardness.

"How was your summer, Hermione?" he queried. Relief flashed across her face. Thanking Harry silently in her mind she composed herself and straightened slightly.

"Oh, it was enjoyable, thanks," she said, managing to prise herself away from Ron's vice like grip. She remembered the heated kiss they'd shared in the middle of the war. She longed for the passion, the spark, and tried to force it into existence but a niggling at the back of her brain told her what she already knew. It wasn't happening for her.

"Did you hear about that Deatheater attack in Knockturn alley?" Ginny said, indulging into her usual gossip, "apparently he disappeared at the entrance to Diagon – how close is that?"

"Yeah... I was there..." Hermione trailed off. Three completely shocked faces stared back at her.

"Oh my Godric! You are kidding me." Ginny stated, reaching out to her friend. Ron shoved her out the way, standing in front of Hermione and gripping her arms, shaking her.

"You okay? You hurt? Why were you in Knockturn? What the hell? What happened?" He demanded answers, looking at her impatiently, and, obviously, slightly worried.

"Let go of me, Ronald," she commanded. He snatched his arms back. Ginny snickered slightly. "I just heard trouble, so me and... the other people... in the shop... ran to see what was happening. That's all. But N- the Deatheater disappeared before we – I – arrived there." She finished eventually. Harry looked at her curiously but shrugged it off, resolving to question her later. Ginny had noticed the slight non-consistency of her story also but dropped it quicker than Harry. Ron eyed her suspiciously. "Good, because I don't want my girlfriend hurt," he said.

"Ron, I am not your girlfriend. I told you I needed to think, to focus. And I need my parents back and settled first and stuff," she concluded, her brain kicking into gear, pulling a reasonable excuse with it. Harry attempted to save the situation again; sick of the same debate every time they met up or wrote to each other. He was also sick of Ron's temper tantrums. Linking his hand into his girlfriend's, he entwined their fingers.

"C'mon, Gin, we'll go find a compartment. Ron? Hermione?"

"Coming," Hermione said, dragging her ridiculously heavy trunk to the edge of the train as her three friends disappeared into the train. She bent to pick it up but overbalanced backwards, flailing slightly, attempting to re-attain her balance, when someone gripped her arms steadying her. She leant into them slightly and turned to thank them.

"Than- Oh. It's _you._" Her brown eyes met stormy grey ones and blonde hair fell in front of his eyes.

"Watch it, Granger." She snatched herself away from Malfoy and dusted herself of, glaring at him.

"Go irritate someone else, Ferret." She said turning her nose up at him slightly, "Oh, and I want an explanation."

"For what?" He sneered.

"Diagon Alley."

"Nothing happened in Diagon Alley."

That was explanation enough for her. It answered her 'Did it mean something? Does it matter?' questions.

"Good." She responded. He was quite taken back by this response, it was one he hadn't expected, but he folded his arms, re-applied his smirk and turned to leave. His eyes fell on her trunk.

"Oh, and, Granger? I thought you were insisting that you were a witch?" He cocked one eyebrow pointedly at her trunk. She grumbled as he walked off laughing at her, whipped out her wand and levitated her trunk onto the train.

**Sorry for the shortness, some other works got in the way, i promise more for next time, rate and review pleaseee (: **

**Janey x**


	3. Normality

**Sorry It's late, I was on my Duke of Edinburgh (: then I wrote a chapter and my comp crashed ¬_¬ Fml.**

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**Disclaimer: I only own a Jar of Strawberry Jam... And I don't think even that's real...**

Chapter 3

Normality

The Sorting ceremony was completed uneventfully, and for once, Hermione wasn't paying the alert attention she usually gave to the speech and ceremony. She seemed distant and wouldn't even respond when Ron sat uncomfortably close to her and nudged her constantly to grin at her. She just smiled weakly and attempted picking at her food, feeling down and over thinking things that didn't need to be thought. She ignored the Sorting Hat as he sung of triumph and house unity after the war, when, in normal circumstances, she would have listened to every word. A pair of green eyes contemplated her for a second before she looked up and met them. Her best friend looked at her, questioning her mood.

"Hermione?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she mumbled, stumbling over the words," I'm just thinking," she finished finally.

"About...?" Ron coaxed.

"Oh, the war... and..." she looked at Ron, "...Stuff." Realisation flashed across Harry's face for a moment before he dropped the situation and turned to engage Ginny in chatter. Ron was oblivious to the situation. Hermione tried to plaster on a bigger smile and continued to pick at her food.

Draco sat casually at the Slytherin table, between Blaise and Pansy. The Hat seemed much chirpier this year, his song much more victory based, casting away the warning theme of the previous years. It split at the brim, on the base of the hat for a mouth and begun to sing;

_Unity triumphs through,_

_And now the war is over, _

_Every bond we thought was false,_

_Has now been newly woven._

_The houses four that were once divided,_

_By blood and rivalry,_

_May now collide and mix with pride,_

_Through love and chivalry._

_Gryffindor, brave at heart_

_May but lead the way,_

_Slytherin, joining arms,_

_Your resolve begins to sway,_

_Ravenclaw, declaring wit,_

_Know this wisdom to be true,_

_Hufflepuff, you loyal house,_

_Good will always come from you._

_So forgetting boundaries and shaking hands,_

_For now begins the truce,_

_The pillars of our school,_

_Rebuilt and put to use!_

Draco ignored the attempted "Bonding" by the hat and watched as each individual First year went up and perched nervously on the stool to receive the old tattered hat. Pansy nattered away constantly into his ear as Blaise smirked at Draco's defiant expression, showing his determination to not flip out and yell at her to "Shut the Hell up!" right in the middle of the Sorting ceremony.

"...and then Father suggested I _Marry _him! What do you think, Draco, surely you can't allow that?"

She looked up at him, pouting expectantly.

"To be honest, Pansy, I couldn't care less." He said, helping himself to some of the food that had instantaneously appeared. Blaise laughed. Pansy 'Humph'-ed and turned away.

In the first couple of weeks of term, the originally timid First years had grown into comfort and had now blended with the Second years into a stampede, filling the halls and threatening to burst through the walls. Hermione fought her way through the corridors, attempting to make her way to Arithmancy and failing. She was thrown sideways into someone.

"Do you MIND, Granger?" Draco Malfoy complained loudly. Hermione spun round.

Malfoy had his arm draped over an exceeding smug Pansy Parkinson's shoulders.

"Move it, Mudblood," Pansy snickered. Hermione raised her eyebrows, folded her arms and stayed put.

"Or what?" She challenged.

Pansy looked infuriated.

"Or I'll -" She began.

"You not getting it on with Weasel-bee yet, Granger?" Malfoy interrupted Pansy, sounding lazy, but Hermione thought it seemed hurried, like he was rescuing the situation. She shrugged it off.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Ferret?"

"Well I assumed you'd be having buck-toothed mini-Weasels by now," he drawled, smirking at her discomfort. Pansy cackled at his side.

"My business with Ron has nothing to do with you, Malfoy," she snarled.

"Ahh, a little bit touchy today, aren't we, mud- bookworm?"

"Shut up, Ferret."

Then she turned and pushed her way through the crowds to escape the laughing Slytherins.

Hermione's feet clicked against the stone floor as she speed walked back to the common room. She gasped the password 'Bravery' to the Fat Lady before climbing into the common room. She stood by the portrait hole and looked over to the sofa.

Ron sat playing Wizard Chess against himself. He noticed her and looked up. He became puzzled and stood to look at her intently.

"What?" He asked.

She paused for one pregnant moment before striding forward and stretching up to fling her arms around his neck. He smiled under her mouth and kissed back furiously.

His kisses were sloppy. She didn't feel a spark. It lacked passion. But she liked him, and that's all that matters, right? She liked him. She had decided.

But one thing tugged at the back of her mind.

A memory.

Pulling at her thoughts slightly, reminding her of another kiss.

**I hope you like it. Not much Dramione in this chapter, but there will be, promise (:**

**Janey x**


	4. Broken

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**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Apart from that box over there.**

Chapter Four.

Broken.

It had been nearly a month since Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley had begun dating. The news had spread through Hogwarts like wildfire, igniting gossip and excitement centring around the fact that remaining two thirds of the Golden Trio were taken.

The Slytherins seemed to be the only ones less than interested by the revelation.

Harry and Ginny were often seen with the new couple and they became more like the Golden Quartet as the days went on, due to them being paired off and in each other's constant company.

This wasn't as much to everyone's taste. Hermione felt strangely stifled by Ron – which was strange seeing as she spent about the same amount of time with him as normal, except that now they were 'together'. But for some reason she just wanted a little more space. Space to breath. Space to think.

Down in the Slytherin common room, Draco reclined back on a serpentine green chaise lounge, one arm behind his head and his other arm draped across his stomach. He was deep in thought, determinedly ignoring Pansy Parkinson as she prattled on about some rumour to do with Zabini and some Ravenclaw girl.

He inwardly groaned as she leaned closer to him so that she could speak quieter.

"I mean, she's not a _Slytherin,_ so I thought he'd never go for her. I mean the rest of us would go for the odd Ravenclaw, and_ possibly_ a Hufflepuff, but Blaise never seemed like that type of Guy. I thought he was strictly Slytherin bound. What do you think? I mean, you _are_ his best friend."

She frowned.

"Draco? Are you even listening?" she chided.

"Are you still talking?"

She folded her arms and pouted at him.

"You could pay more attention to me, you know. We _are_ going to be married one day."

"To be honest, I couldn't care less for your trivial gossip" Draco responded, cocking an eyebrow, "Nor do I think that we will be married."

"We are supposedly dating, yet you never bother with me. I'm just for show, aren't I?"

"Pansy, I think you declaring that we are going to be married, constantly, and forcing your way into my company every day, does not count as _'Dating'._"

"But, Drakie-"

"Don't call me that."

"-We're made for each other. You _know _I'm your ideal pureblood match!"

"Parkinson, for the love of my sanity, will you please, LEAVE ME ALONE."

He stood up abruptly and strode to the door. Pansy lent back in to the sofa, clutching a pillow, as her pug-like features twisted into a pout again.

Draco marched down the hall and quickstepped up the stairs from the dungeons. He stormed away turning options over in his head, exit methods, somewhere quiet to go. Where there would be as few students as possible. Preferably none at all. He reached the fourth floor corridor, attempting to almost jog up the moving staircases.

Draco slowed down. There were muffled mumblings and slight giggles from up ahead.

He slunk behind one of the suits of armour that lined the hall, encasing himself in shadow.

Granger's arms were tangled round Weasel-King's neck and their lips were furiously interlocked. Weasel traced his hands down the bookworm's back, gripping her, pulling her closer.

Draco rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He tapped his foot impatiently. He was not in the mood for weak, love-struck Gryffindors.

Hermione was completely wrapped up in Ron. She could feel his breath on her neck, his hands tracing her spine, his lips on her skin. But even though her body moulded into his, something was wrong... she shrugged it off. She was beyond happy, she was ecstatic. She broke away, breathing a reminder to him about her potions essay and his DADA practice, and smiling at him as he groaned at the prospect of work.

Draco watched as Granger giggled at Weasel-bee moving over her. They whispered a bit before Granger rocked up on to her toes to kiss him on the cheek, before beaming and hurrying off down the hall. Weasel stood there for a while, staring dreamily after her with a lop-sided grin on his face that was just begging to be wiped off.

Draco smirked and began to step from his hiding place, almost coming out into full view before something rocketed past him, making him take a step backwards to be reclaimed by the shadows.

The something that had almost flown past him turned out to be a some_one_. Draco's eyes widened as the person jumped at Weasel, who caught them around the waist, which was strange in Draco's opinion.

Weasel was grinning.

Draco furrowed his brow. Confused.

The Blonde head bent down to Weasel-King's and kissed him. Draco expected the Weasel to push her off, throw her to the ground for attempting to make him dishonest, like the overly_ amazing_ member of the Golden Trio he was.

Draco was wrong.

The Weasel kissed her back passionately, pushing his lips back against hers fiercely and hooked her higher up his waist, gripping her thighs and turning to lean her against the wall. Revealing her face.

The face of Lavender Brown.

Draco almost gasped. Instead he let his mouth hang open, gaping.

So Weasel was playing two girls? That could be dealt with.

Throwing Weasel-bee off his high Golden horse was a very attractive idea to the blonde Slytherin. It seemed that Brown was the other woman, since she (and the rest of the school) knew the blood traitor was with the Mud- Muggleborn.

Weasel and Brown fell through into an alcove behind one of the tapestries. Draco walked briskly away, hastening his steps to escape the disgusting noises that gave away what the pair were doing. He reached the door at the end of the hall and paused, his arm stopped midair, resting slightly on the door handle.

Does he find Granger, tell her and use it to taunt her? Does he do nothing? He could just tell her and walk away?

He chose the latter. He could save the taunts for another day. Once she was past it and the memory would just irk her and give Draco the high ground in inevitable future arguments.

Draco began to push the door open and rounded the corner, expecting to have to walk to the library or some kind of classroom to tell Granger, but was stopped in his tracks.

She sat crumpled on the floor against the wall, tears streaming down her face and her knees drawn up to her body. Her sobs cascaded through her chest and she hugged herself as a meek kind of consolation.

Her head snapped up.

She instantly held her tears back and wiped her face hurriedly and forcefully with her sleeve, heaving herself up off the ground.

Her eyes narrowed at him.

"What do YOU want, _Ferret?_" Her words ripped into furious snarls that punctuated every word, "Come to kick me while I'm down?"

Draco would've cringed away from her words had it not been Granger speaking.

"Well, I came to provide you with information on your _beloved,_" he sneered, "But I see you already have that."

He turned to leave, but he heard fresh sobs as she crumpled back against the wall again, sliding slowly back down to the floor. He turned back to her and stood passively for a moment before closing his eyes, sighing, and opening his mouth to speak.

"I'm going to regret this." He mumbled to himself.

He extended one hand down, offering it to her. She looked up, eying it suspiciously. He rolled his eyes and shook his open hand slightly, urging her to take it. She reached up and gingerly took it. He pulled her up and pulled her into him. She didn't stop him. She didn't glance once at his pale pointed features. She just buried herself into his shoulder, sobbing heavily, letting her cries ricochet through the emptiness around them. She could smell his scent; Peppermint and freshly mown grass.

He put his arms cautiously around her shoulders, mentally recoiling at the same time as reaching out to comfort. His whole heritage screamed "_MUDBLOOD! MUDBLOOD!" _at him, deafening his inner thoughts.

For a while they stood, until her crying began to subside.

They both froze suddenly. Stiffening. Before jumping back from each other, snatching their arms away, as if they had both been burnt.

And with that, Draco turned on his heel and walked away from Hermione Granger. Again.

**I hope you enjoyed it, I tried to make it sufficiently longer (:**

**Review and I give you cookies. (A/N - Cookies are made of your imagination)**

**Janey x**


	5. Potions

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**Disclaimer: Apparently not even that box was mine. It was empty. And had a post-it stuck inside.**

**When I leave open questions, i intend to answer them in following chapters, so stop worrying (: xx**

Chapter five.

Potions.

Exactly one week later, Hermione dropped into her seat in potions. She looked awful. Her hair was messier than normal, there were bags under her eyes and her whole appearance screamed "uncared for". A lot of people around her had sussed what had happened and shot her sympathetic looks. She attempted weak smiles in return and failed, earning more sympathetic looks. Her mind reeled as she watched Ron enter the room with Lavender on his arm, who was laughing like a hyena.

She kept thinking back...

_She reached the door at the end of the hall, grazing her fingers on the handle, beginning to open it and realised she'd forgotten to tell Ron the new password..._

No. She had to ignore it.

_She half smiled to herself; let the door swing shut and turned back to walk down the hallway..._

Go away.

_But as soon as she turned, she could see. And she didn't bother with second glances; she just flung the hall door back open and flew through it..._

Images came fresh to her mind.

_She could see Ron and Lavender clearly, every time she shut her eyelids, as if it were scorched on to the back of her eyelids. She slumped against the wall, slid to the floor and drew her knees up into her chest, her tears finally spilling over..._

_She heard footsteps, and someone pushed open the door. She snapped her head up to look at the newcomer, embarrassed by her state. _

_She glared._

"_What do YOU want, ferret?"_

Draco was finding it increasingly difficult to get rid of Pansy Parkinson. She used the same desperate speech nearly every time they spoke, she followed him around, and, frankly, he was sick of her not-so-endearing Puppy dog eyes.

"Drakey-"

"Don't call me that."

"-Aren't you going to walk me to potions?"

"I'm in your class."

"Exactly. It's like we're made for each other"

"No, Parkinson, it's like our timetables clash."

He was using up all his energy NOT putting a full body bind curse on her and shoving her in the vanishing closet.

"Walk yourself." And he strode off.

When he reached Potions he searched for his desk and made a beeline for it, making a mental note of the haggard looking girl he'd be sharing it with. He stood by the desk and held his book out, horizontally, at arm's length before just letting go so that it hit the desk with a loud 'Thump!'

Like he had anticipated, she jumped out of her skin.

"What the _hell_, Malfoy?"

"Just waking you up, Mu- ...Granger." He smirked, and sat gently in the seat next to her.

"You and Weasel-bee not so good then?" he queried, arching one eyebrow, "I thought you would have made up and be off having those little orange buck tooth beaver-weasels we talked about?"

"I don't know, Ferret, you tell me. No, of course, it's all rainbows and flowers, I mean, screw the fact he was cheating on me. Yay. Let's all go back to normal and skip off into the sun set." She snarled.

"They say that Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit."

"They also say blondes are dumb, so shut up, Blondie." came the snappy reply from the mess of hair.

"Ouch." He said, raising his eyebrows.

"If you were anyone else, I'd be sorry. But I'm not." She sighed.

He turned this over in his head for a while but shrugged it off, not pushing the broken girl too far. He'd planned to torment her further, like he would have done in any other circumstance, but with her being that broken and that depressed, he somehow couldn't do it. This spooked him.

Slughorn started the lesson, his usual bouncy self, but Hermione couldn't be less absorbed. She kept replaying everything, over and over, like it was stuck on replay.

A tear began to leak from her eye. Nobody seemed to see. Her head was rested on her folded arms, slumped on her desk and she was seated at the back of the class as if forgotten.

Draco saw. And instantaneously, something popped into his head.

He groaned.

_I'm going to regret this._

"Granger..."

"What?" she mumbled from her arms.

"We both want the same thing. And I have an idea."

"Go shove your idea up your-"

"Granger!" He said sharply, "For God's sake listen to me."

He waited, and she was silent. He continued, murmuring so as not to be overheard.

"We both want the same things-"

"I doubt it."

"Please listen, woman! We both want similar things. You want revenge, and I want Pansy to stop following me around with her Giant-Squid -like grip on a non-existent relationship."

"How are they similar? How the HELL can you relate my broken heart to your messed up playboy attitude?"

"I'll ignore that comment, Bookworm."

They fell into silence for a minute. Both awkward. Both annoyed. Hermione sighed.

"You said you had an idea."

Draco scowled, but then sighed as well.

"You won't like it Granger. I hate it already and I haven't even said it..." She cocked an eyebrow and he continued, "I suggest we try a... join of forces, if you like. Just to teach Weasel-King a lesson and get Parkinson off my bloody back."

"What EXACTLY are you suggesting, Malfoy?"

"Dating."

She sat up straight in her seat. Shock twisted ungracefully in her face.

"I don't even like you enough to call you an acquaintance... or even a friend, let alone to go out with you!"

"The feeling is definitely mutual, Granger."

"So why are you bothering?"

"Simple. Pansy sees me with a sworn enemy, and thinks I've gone mad and leaves me alone. Weasel sees you with me, and since he hates me and won't be able to stand 'us', he will sorely regret cheating. Its win-win and we'd only have to do it for a week, or even less. All pretend of course."

She began contemplating this; Draco could practically see the cogs whirring in Granger's mind.

"What about all the loved-up kissing and stuff?" She queried. He furrowed his brow.

"We claim it's been done in private. Not out loud of course. We'll disappear into an empty classroom or something. Study. Read. Do homework. Whatever. Then emerge with ruffled hair, ties askew, and let people make their own assumptions. And all we have to do is walk near each other and possibly hold hands in public."

"We'll kill each other."

"I know. But the desired reactions from Weasel and Parkinson are what we're aiming for. We don't even have to make a week."

"I hate to admit it, but it's a good idea... It changes nothing though. We go back to normal after."

"Of course."

They lapsed into silence and continued the class.

"I want 30 inches on the effects of Pollyjuice and how it is different to a Glamour charm. By tomorrow. Class dismissed," Slughorn finished, beaming at them. It had been a good class.

Hermione pushed her books into her satchel bag and stood up wearily, making her way to the door. Suddenly, a hand interlocked with her own and she jumped, snapping round feverishly to see who the invader was. Her eyes landed on Malfoy.

"What the-"

"Go with it, Granger." He muttered.

"Oh!" Realisation dawned. They were starting the charade now?

A few people turned round to look at them.

"Hermione!" squeaked Parvati, making Lavender turn to face them, "That's _Malfoy!_"

"I'm aware of that." Hermione said simply.

"What are you doing with _him?_" blurted out Lavender.

Hermione looked at her, then at the redhead who had just turned round to see what the commotion was. Suddenly his eyes widened.

"I could've asked you the same question."

Lavender went bright red and tugged Ron away, muttering something about needing to be somewhere.

Draco and Hermione pushed their way through the hall slowly, ignoring the mutters, until they turned down an empty corridor away from the chatter and stares. They both looked around to check the coast was clear and then snatched their hands away from each other.

"My class is back that way." Draco said, simply.

"Mine... mine is that way..." Hermione stated quickly, pointing in the other direction.

They stood and stared at each other for a moment.

"See you around, Granger."

She just nodded back. But instead of leaving, he took one step forward and crushed their lips together. Her eyes snapped shut and she leaned into him, gripping the tops of his arms to pull herself on to her toes as he snaked his hands onto her hips. His tongue pushed its way into her mouth, tickling the roof and tracing round her gums. He ran his hands straight up; pushing her arms above her head then dropping them round his neck and then pulled her waist close to him. He nibbled her bottom lip gently so that she sighed before pulling away completely and striding off down the hall without a backwards glance, disappearing through the door.

She stood silently for a second. Her lips kiss swollen.

"But you said this wouldn't happen!" She burst out to no one in particular.

**Thankyou for reading, I hope you enjoyed, I love you all.**

**Review? I'd appreciate one pleeaassee :D **

**Doritos all round?**

**Janey x**


	6. Confusion

**Thank you, peaceXsweet16, Salan Oran, dreadfuldelights, Loslote, MBBlackbelt, Pau-0803, Genesis Wentz, vanou1991, mackieshae, monkey87, CryptoSquirrel, Firedrakegal, Arlyn22**,**TheQueenOfTheFoxes, Beautiful-Liar13, bunny08, LissaDragonmir** **and jeshika.23 for all the reviews, new subs and faviouriting (: xxx**

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**Princ3ss Tabz, I love you. 'Nuff said. Oh and you can have Doritos. Oh, and you're way more creative. And Draco IS a Sex God... Okay, that's more than Nuff said, but you get the idea ;) Xxxxx**

**KieraaJadee, Scrambled egg and toast pleeeaassee *bats eyelashes* xxxxx**

**Also, go checkout 'Air' which I helped write ;) but mainly written by my overly-fabulously-amazing Twin KieraaJadee :D and also 'Along the way' by the worship-able (is that even a word?) awesome Princ3ss Tabz xxxxx**

**Guys, I know this took long, but I'm going through a rough time at the moment, for reasons I don't put over the internet, so please, don't get annoyed for the past week. I just couldn't write. This is also why it's short; I had to write something to answer my messages. **

**Sorry? xx**

Chapter 6

Confusion.

"I saw you with Ferret."

The murmur jerked Hermione out of the book she was reading. She looked up in her armchair and saw Ron, standing over her. She inwardly groaned.

"What? Oh, right, yeah."

"So it's you and him now?"

"Yes. Problem?" She narrowed her eyes and the red haired boy in front of her.

They stayed quiet. Silent in the firelight. Then something snapped.

"WHY? HE TORMENTED YOU FOR SEVEN YEARS! Does that mean NOTHING?" Ron was shaking Hermione.

"GET OFF ME, RONALD!" She shrieked, "You have NO right to dictate to ME who I date, after CHEATING on me with LAVENDER!"

Ron jumped back but kept yelling. "A DEATHEATER? THE GUY HARRY FOUGHT AGAINST?"

"MALFOY NEVER WANTED TO BE ONE!" She'd slipped up on the first name thing, but Ron was too red in the face to notice, so she continued. "AND DON'T YOU _DARE_ BRING HARRY IN TO THIS!" She jumped up and pushed him away from her. "THIS IS BETWEEN YOU AND ME!"

"THIS IS NEVER BETWEEN YOU AND ME! EVERYONE ELSE GETS INVOLVED! MY OWN SISTER IS PISSED AT ME OVER THE LAVENDER THING!" He bellowed back.

"YEAH? WELL, SHE HAS A RIGHT TO BE. BECAUSE YOU, RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY, ARE A LOW LIFE SCUMBAG, WHO DESERVES NO ONE BUT THAT SKANK LAVENDER BROWN!" And with that, Hermione strode up to the Girl's dormitory past a very confused Ginny who had appeared on the stairs, wondering about the racket.

"Malfoy!"

Draco turned, irritated by the grating sound of the new voice, to see Pothead striding towards him. He sighed.

"What, Potter?"

Draco folded his arms, cocked one eyebrow and tapped his foot. Scar head rolled his eyes.

"I just wanted to ask… talk… about Hermione."

Draco's arms slackened and his expression softened, but he recovered slightly.

"What of her?"

"You're going out with her." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Well, Potter, It's obvious you'll be getting an 'O' in Divination."

"You know what I mean. Are you trying to hurt her? What is this? You've always called her a Mudblood?"

For a moment, Harry could swear he saw resentment cross Malfoy's features.

"She trusts you, right, Potter?" Potter nodded slowly. "It's a hoax to get at Weasel and Parkinson."

"Oh, I see," Potter said cautiously.

"And maybe she's not so bad anymore." _Oh, you Idiot, Draco. Too far._

"See, I don't think it is fake."

"Shut up, Scar-head, of course it is."

"…Well, it might be for her, but it's a bit deeper for you, isn't it… Draco…"

Draco froze. Was he really speaking to Potter? The Boy-who-refused-to-die?

"…Don't worry. I'll keep your secret." And smirking, Potter turned on his heel and left.

Draco stood watching after him. Stunned. Attempting to stutter a suitable insult as a reply.

Hermione was snivelling slightly on the way to classes the next day.

"What's up, Grange?"

Her head snapped up to look at the pale boy's smirk.

"Two things, Malfoy. One; don't attempt to shorten my last name to 'Grange'. Two; what happened to first names?"

"Well, no one was listening, so I thought I'd rid myself of your dirty first name."

She looked up at him slyly.

"You say that, but it has less 'oomph' since you stopped calling me Mudblood."

Draco froze. Granger grinned smugly.

He just grumbled and continued to plod on in silence.

Hermione just smiled to herself, pleased she'd won this one. She was about to leave him to go to Ancient Runes, and turned to say goodbye.

He smirked at her, stopping her words in their tracks. Malfoy bent his head down and planted a lingering kiss on her cheek. It was soft, tender, loving.

He pulled away and stared intently into her eyes, before smirking again and walking off, leaving her as confused as ever.


	7. Sanctuary

**Twilightfa9199, Loslote, Bella-xoxox, RealmWeaver, Nuisha, DaRk AnGeL oF sOrRoW rEtUrNs, Pinky Bulma, enomix, piksie-nana, OBLuvr13 and dreadfuldelights, thankyou for all the reviews, subs, and favourites xxx **

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**I may or may not upgrade this to an M, this chapter is kind of edging towards it. Advice on that please? Xx**

**This chapter is a major Ron slash, pushing him slightly out of character, so if you love Ron, this chapter is a no-go for you xx**

Chapter 7

Sanctuary.

Hermione dragged her weary self along the charms corridor. It was lunch and she was already amazingly tired. She contemplated the proposition with Malfoy; they had agreed to only pretend for three more days, then "break up". She and found it kind of fun really, especially watching Ronald squirm when they walked by, but it was coming up to finishing, as she still hated him. He was still the Slytherin Prince and a pureblood. And she was still a Gryffindor muggleborn.

She had decided to spend this lunch practicing some DADA spells in one of the old unused classrooms down the corridor. She turned into the room and dumped her bag on the floor, pulling her wand out as she did so.

She began clearing the room, charming the desks and tables to be stacked against the wall and clearing some of the dust up as this room was never used. She brushed some hair out her face and got a book out ready to practice from.

She never felt lonely at times like this, even if there was no one around. She was comfortable.

Then the book was pulled out of her hands and her wand was sent clattering into the far corner of the room.

"Hello, Hermione," said a voice.

She looked up, shocked and confused. Ron was standing over her, with a peculiar sort of grin on his face.

And it scared her.

A girlish giggle came from somewhere behind her, and she snapped round quickly to see Lavender Brown closing in.

Hermione's feet were glued the floor in fear.

Ron grabbed her wrist.

"Now, now, Hermione, be good…"

His grin was twisted and strange. And suddenly she felt more alone than ever.

After lunch, about an hour later, Draco sat frustrated in Potions. He glanced frequently at the empty seat beside him, and at his wrist watch.

It was 15 minutes into the lesson, and Hermione Granger, resident bookworm and teacher's pet, wasn't here.

And it wasn't just that she was late, it was that she was _wrongly_ late. She never missed Potions. Ever. It felt odd. Something had happened.

He made an instantaneous decision.

"I'm going to regret this," he muttered, and his hand shot into the air.

"What is it, Mr Malfoy?" Slughorn asked exasperatedly.

"I have a headache. I need to go to the medical room." That's how it worked with Slughorn and the Slytherins, all statements, no questions.

"Very well," Slughorn sighed, "Leave."

Draco grabbed his bag, shoved his books into it, and half ran from the room. Potter looked at him, puzzled. Then saw Granger's empty seat and it clicked in his scarred head. Draco saw Weasley out the corner of his eye, smirking at Brown. Somehow, this made him speed up.

As soon as he was up into the main halls, he began checking cupboards, empty rooms and various classes, all the while working his way towards the Gryffindor common room. He froze at the entrance to the charms corridor. His mind whirring forward. Granger liked practising in empty classrooms at lunch. Scratch that. One particular empty classroom.

Suddenly, he bolted forward, speeding toward the end room. He rattled the door handle of the door.

It was locked.

Without a second thought, he pulled his wand out.

"_Alohomora," _he muttered, and the lock sprang open.

He flung the door open and stepped over the threshold, dropping his bag to the floor and rushing to her side.

She was curled up on her side on the floor. Gagged and tied up. Tears were edging through eyes that were screwed up and pouring down her face. Her whole frame was shuddering with every silent sob. Her hair was messed up, lying partly over her face. Her skirt was hitched up slightly and her jumper was rumpled in awkward places. There were bruises all over her face, arms and legs, as if every part of exposed skin had been sprayed in blackcurrant.

Draco lifted her head into his lap, undoing all her bindings, but she remained curled up, silently sobbing.

"Granger…"

She opened her eyes slowly, and opened her mouth to speak.

"Thank you…" she croaked.

He pulled her up to her feet and lifted her to sit on the teacher's desk, which she hadn't cleared. He stood in front of her, muttering spells to cover bruises or attempt to fix them.

"Malfoy?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"It was Weasley, wasn't it?" He said suddenly, angrily.

Her eyes flicked up to him, confused and wary at the same time.

"Well?" He demanded.

She looked scared. She didn't want to do anything. She wanted to crawl away and curl up in a corner.

"Don't do anything, please, I… he… I can't…" she stuttered, trailing off. She flinched away from him.

Draco saw red. He was fuming. He strode away, starting towards the door. He pushed over a stack of desks. Gritting his teeth.  
"I'm going to KILL him. I'm going to torture him, then kill him…" he swore darkly.

Hermione darted round him and stood between him and the door, fearfully.

"No! You can't!"

"Get out of my way."

"No! Please!"

"I won't hurt you, Granger, It's just him. I'm going to break every bone in his pathetic little body!"

"Please, Malfoy, Please… Draco…"

He froze. She'd used his name.

Somehow, this angered him more, that the Weasel would be so disgusting, so volatile, so vicious, towards an innocent, fragile girl.

"God help me, Granger, GET OUT OF MY-"

But he was cut off by a pair of lips joining with his. Hermione had thrown herself onto him, to calm him.

Weasley was forgotten.

He picked Granger up and sat her back on the desk, and pulled her torso into him, holding on for dear life, winding his hands through her hair, dipping his tongue in and out of her mouth. It was the first time she had initiated their kissing, and it made it better for him for some reason. He felt more accepted, as if he was wanted.

She threaded her hands through his hair, holding his face to hers. Somehow, she knew that for a while, she would only feel safe with Draco around. Not even Harry would feel safe enough for a while. Draco would have to be present. They'd have to extend their deal, and for some reason that she didn't quite understand, she was totally comfortable with this thought.

And he was finally calm.

**Hope this was okay? **

**Janey x**


	8. Author's note

**Hey, sorry guys, I have to apologise, I'm halfway through the next chapter but I am going to Germany tomorrow and won't be able to update from there. I will be back next Tuesday.**

**Thanks for understanding, I am sooo sorry,**

**Love you all, **

**Janey xxx**


	9. Detatchment

**SecretPain121208, AdrianaSakuraLi, CryptoSquirrel, CharlotteAnnRae, Loslote, Raining Soul, chiffon-of-the-vanilla-variety (Can I just say, I love your name?), jamesluver4lyfe, potterhead0013, -Babyeex.X, Science-Fantasy93, Rachella23, pinpin95, AmazingMe, Ms. Cloud Strife, RozaBaksh, OhSoTalented09,** **Dramionelover01, teddy240b, Fedski, N3Mo, lullabyexgoodnight, .Whimsy, steffy12, MCpooky, monkey87, Thwarted Moony, Aylona, WHOREcrux, LaRee333, StarryEyedDazzleMe, Thank you for all the subs, reviews and Favourites xx**

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**RealmWeaver, Thank you for your constant support (: Loves much xx**

**LissaDragonmir: As always, you are wonderful xx**

**DukeBrymin: Once again, thank you, your reviews help me and I love them. You're amazing xxx**

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**KieraaJadee; its cold in this room, is mine done yet? My carpet came, yaaayy (: xxxxx**

**Disclaimer: On the post-it note, in the box, which is in the corner, which doesn't belong to me, says "Haha. Loser." **

**Yeah… **

Chapter eight.

Detachment.

Hermione flinched again, recoiling away from the mass of people in the corridor, feeling venerable and alone. People gave her looks, frowns, speculations, looking at her as if she were mad.

She wasn't.

This had been going for a few days now, and then Malfoy would be there, and she'd be more comfortable, but sometimes he wouldn't. She felt alone, and she also felt like Malfoy was avoiding her, trying not to stay in her company for too long.

She jumped out of her skin as Harry appeared by her.

She mentally recoiled but put on a brave face.

_Your best friend. He's good. On your side. Your best friend._

This soothed her somewhat as she relaxed into his company slightly.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Umm… yeah… just… daydreaming? I suppose." She pieced a sentence together mid-speech, so that it came out staccato and odd.

They chatted all the way to potions, even if it was sort of restrained and minimal on Hermione's part, but it made her feel a bit more at home in the castle, as if she had another person to lean on.

* * *

Draco's head was in turmoil.

He couldn't have her. The War Heroine and the Ex-Deatheater? No. The wizarding world wouldn't like it. And he wouldn't let her condemn herself to the likes of him. He refused.

Yes, he would have to push her away but ultimately she'd be happier. Eventually she'd be with another hero, or someone suitable. Dean Thomas or Seamus Finnegan or… A small jealous growl threatened to erupt from the pit of his throat but he swallowed it back down.

_Muggleborn, Muggleborn, Muggleborn…_ No. The word had lost meaning now. He couldn't use that anymore; it meant little and was no longer a valid reason for discrimination in his head.

And it was all her fault.

All her wonderful fault.

He slumped into his Potions seat, waiting for her, experiencing a sort of De-Ja-Vu.

He watched her float in, no one noticing as she weaved expertly around people, avoiding eye contact and flinching away from physical closeness.

Except with Potter.

For some reason, this comforted him; it meant she'd have someone after he'd left her.

"Granger," He said curtly, nodding his head.

She stopped and blinked. Noting the strange change in his voice. She tucked a strand of frizzy hair behind her ear.

"Umm… Draco? What's up?" She whispered as she sat cautiously in the seat next to him.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Why do you have to read into _everything_, Granger? Can't you accept a greeting?" He chided in his most pompous voice, smirking at her through his pointed features.

_I'm going to regret this, forgive me, please…_

She looked at him, utterly shocked, not fully aware as to what was going on.

"W- w- what's with the h-hostility?" she stuttered, barely able to speak.

"Well we've never exactly been _close_, have we, Granger?" He sneered, coldly.

_I'm so sorry, this is just better…_

"Excuse me?"

"You heard, now shove off."

Shock took over her features, and then total confusion, then she began to go red, as if holding back tears.

"No! I don't believe you! What's happened?"

_You're too clever at this. You need to leave._

"Nothing's wrong…" He began, and then mentally flinched, before forcing out the only thing that would push her away, smashing it through is resistant lips like a muggle bulldozer through concrete…

_I'm going to regret this… I'm sorry…_

"…Mudblood."

He heard her let out a sharp gasp, and watched as her eyes began to brim with tears. But despite his conscience screaming at him and his whole being writhing with disgust, he forced out his most Malfoy like smirk.

And she stared at the boy she had relied on, wanting to slap is smug face and rip out his cold, shrivelled heart and shove it up his…

"S-s-sir?" she called out to the front of the class while still facing Malfoy, her eyes trained on the side of his face, which was lowered to his parchment as he copied from the blackboard.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" queried Slughorn.

"I need to go to the… the Hospital wing."

Horace looked at the clearly distressed girl as a tear leaked down her blushing cheek. The whole class flicked their heads round to stare. He decided not to ask questions.

"Very well, Miss Granger, all though, I doubt you'll get behind."

She nodded once and flew from the room, not looking back.

Harry watched, worried and scared for her. He looked back at Malfoy, quizzically, who didn't return his gaze and just stared forward at the board. Harry watched the pointed features of his long sworn enemy and sighed, turning back to the front, itching for time to move faster.

The moment the lesson was over, Harry half ran back to the Gryffindor common room to look for a sobbing Hermione.

* * *

Draco was not enjoying being alone at lunch.

It had been exactly 2 hours, 34 minutes and 20… 23… 27… seconds since he upset Hermione. Not that he was counting, of course. His gloomy aura seemed to dampen the moods of those around him and this caused many people to ignore him, and avoid being in his presence.

He scuffed his feet along the floor as he traipsed down one of the darker halls near his common room, down by the dungeons, till he heard a voice.

"OI! Malfoy!"

Eurgh. Great. It was Potter. He spun on his heel to face the black-haired seeker.

"And, what, may I ask, do _you_ want?"

"What the hell happened today? You just bailed on Hermione!"

"That's none of your business Potter."

"I think you'll find it bloody well is!"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"Oh, of course, the Boy-who-refuses-to-bloody-well-DIE understands _everything_! Silly of me to forget! Would you like me to polish your ego for you? You'll have to wait a while though; I'll need some help. Why? Because it's so bloody_ huge_."

"Shut up, Ferret! Do you care about anyone? I thought you actually liked her! But the only person you care about is yourself!"

"Well you thought wrong, Potter!"

"No. I don't think I did. There's more to this." Harry concluded forcefully,

Draco snapped.

"You don't it! You don't understand! I don't deserve her!"

"Oh don't get all high and mighty, trying to act noble-"

"For once in your life, Potter, shut up and open your mind!"

Harry was quiet.

Draco continued, "Imagine it. War heroine dates Slytherin Prince. The whole world goes mad and a pile of controversy explodes. She becomes an even bigger Deatheater target and everyone will look at her differently. They'll all think I cursed her or something. They'll call her mad!"

"Maybe she wouldn't care."

"Maybe she would."

"Wait- so are you seriously saying this is the reason you did this?"

"Yes!" Draco sighed, frustrated, "Why else would I push her away?"

Harry's mouth dropped, "She thinks that… Malfoy, you called her a Mudblood... Oh you idiot... I thought you knew? She thinks this is because of her blood!"

* * *

Draco was racing through the castle, searching for her, totally terrified of what she'd do if she saw him first. His feet pounded against the cold flagstones and he was reflected in every breastplate on every suit of armour as a pale, feline boy, panicked and sprinting towards nothing in particular.

The teachers he passed threw him looks which he ignored as he pulled his robes further up over his shoulders and cursed himself for running in Loafers.

He found her on a charms corridor, walking the other way.

"Granger!" He yelled.

She didn't seem to hear.

"Granger! GRANGER!"

She carried on walking.

"Hermione." He said. His voice echoed in the emptiness, carrying down the hall.

He watched her freeze.

She looked back at him, worriedly, and pivoted cautiously on the spot, turning to face him.

He judged that there was about thirty five metres between them. That was easy.

"You think that I didn't want to be with you because I considered you blood dirty?"

"It… It seemed like it…" she squeaked back.

"You think I care about your blood?" He began striding towards her.

"Me? When I saved you in Diagon Alley by kissing you in front of a Deatheater, risking my life for a muggleborn as well?"

She was rooted to the spot.

"Me? When I untied you after what Weasel did and held you in my arms?"

Twenty metres…

"Me? After being with you, holding you, kissing you, wanting you so bad…"

Fifteen…

"No. I just _refuse…_"

Twelve…

"…to let _you_…"

Nine…

"…end up…"

Five…

"…with someone…"

One…

"…like _me._"

He was practically standing over her. Their eyes were locked onto each other's and they were both breathing heavily…

And then he kissed her.

**Hey, Sorry for the long wait, thankyou for all the messages, I had a lovely time in Germany (: Hugs and stuff,**

**Reviews are appreciated :D**

**Janey xx**


	10. Applaud

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**Princ3ssTabz; This is always for you, I hope you still like my Draco ;) I love you xxxxx**

Chapter nine.

Applaud.

Draco looked over Granger's head to see a bemused Potter, linked with his smug girlfriend, half-grinning at them.

"Shut up, Potter. No one cares."

"Obviously you do," laughed the Chosen One.

Draco went beetroot red and stepped away from Granger a little bit, so that he could see Potter properly. The Weaslette giggled.

"Hey, Hermione," she sang, winking.

Hermione gave a half-hearted smile at her. Then she noticed Harry, who was suddenly frowning a bit.

"Harry…?" She ventured, "What's up..?"

"Malfoy," He began, turning to the blonde boy, "What did you mean about when Ron 'attacked' her?"

Hermione flinched, and turned pale.

Draco's mouth formed an 'O' shape.

"You weren't supposed to… Potter… I didn't think you were there… Granger didn't want you to… crap." He finished, muttering and cursing.

Ginny was too shocked to speak. A thousand emotions ran across her face and her head flicked between Hermione, Harry and Malfoy.

"My… my Brother?" she began approaching Hermione, "What… tell me. Now. What is going on."

Hermione just bit her lip and stared straight ahead.

Ginny reached out to put her hand on her best friend's shoulder. Hermione flinched back from it, suddenly staring straight at Ginny, recoiled.

"But… Hermione… I'm a girl! This makes no sen- Lavender."

Hermione spun round, looking for someone who wasn't there.

Ginny was just still, thinking hurriedly, brow furrowed.

"What?" Harry looked thoroughly confused. Malfoy was silent.

"Lavender." Ginny repeated, "Lavender's a girl."

"I'm aware of that," Harry said, still looking at Ginny as though she had three heads.

"No! You don't get it! Ron attacked her, so naturally boys would be a problem. But she flinched from me, so it was a girl too. Lavender."

Understanding dawned on Harry's face.

"Gin…" The whimper came from Hermione, who looked pale, drawn and looked as though tears were about to spill through her lids.

"I don't know what to think…" Ginny whispered, "He's my… and you're my…"

Nothing was said between the four.

Hermione let out a heart wrenching sob that crumpled the silence.

Ginny snapped.

"I'm going to deal with Ron," she half snarled, looking as fiery as her long hair, which she flicked over her shoulder as she began striding down the corridor. Harry started after her.

"Oh, Godric… No… You can't! Please! No…" Hermione dropped to her knees, sobs rattling through her chest and heaving through her shoulders, "Ginny!" Her voice cracked.

"I love you, Hermione, let me do this!" Ginny called back.

Tears poured down Hermione's cheeks.

Draco tore his eyes away from her, heat was bubbling through his brain, like lava, swimming in front of his eyes, making him see red. He began striding down the corridor after Pothead and the Weaslette, wanting a piece of the two-timing, life-ruining bastard for himself.

He collided with something hard.

"What the-?"

Nothing was there; it was like an invisible wall, stopping him where he stood. He drew his wand from his pocket and turned round.

Hermione stood, feet apart, with both hands on her wand which was extended at arm's length in front of her from the shield charm she'd just cast to stop him leaving.

He groaned.

"What, Granger?" He tapped his foot and looked back over his shoulder. No use. They'd gone. They'd be off having all the fun with Weasley.

She lowered her wand and brought one hand up to her face to wipe her tears away.

"For someone who won't let me end up with them, you sure are putting up a good fight."

Silence.

Draco sighed and looked at the frizzy haired, irritating, bookish, bossy, wonderful girl in front of him.

"I'm going to regret this…" he murmured.

She snapped.

"Y'know, one of these days you may ACTUALLY regret something! Instead of just adding things to the never ending list you should regret! Do you even care! Or do you enjoy playing people?"

Draco raised his eyebrows in shock.

"What the-? Cleverest witch of our age, my arse! PLAYING people? Of course I bloody care! Regrets? Yeah, okay, where shall I start?"

"Go on then, if _you're_ so regretful, you insufferable Ferret!"

He ignored her.

"I regret my whole life! I regret taking the Dark Mark. I regret the life attempts on Dumbledore. I regret never trying to run away when the Dark Lord joined our house. I regret taking orders from him. I regret being labelled a Deatheater. I regret allowing Aunt Bellatrix to torture you and the other freedom fighters. I regret letting you follow me to fight Nott in Diagon Alley. I regret letting Weasel be with you first so that he ruined you. I am currently regretting every time I ever called you a Mudblood and most of all, I regret allowing myself to fall in love with you! Because I can never take it back, I can never fix it, and I can't make you love me back!"

It was so quiet they could hear owls hooting outside.

Forever seemed to come and go as he waited. Draco counted his breaths. In… 11… out… 12… In… 13… Out… 14…

"Who said it needs to be fixed?" Granger said finally.

Then he heard slow claps, sarcastic and blunt, and a laugh that chilled him to his bone.

"Well, well, well… Nice Drake, a Mudblood? Bit low for you… Aunt Andromeda would be proud…"

And Theodore Nott Sr. stepped out of the shadows, Deatheater mask and all.

**I apologise for the shortness and lateness,**

**Much love,**

**Janey xx**


	11. Conscious

**Anzlicious, Herahell, Vampgirl94, Era Of Aequora, CD101, Fiori Omega, dreadfuldelights, erraticsea, XxLilyFlowerxX, DaRk AnGeL oF sOrRoW rEtUrNs, Loslote, Twilightaddict247, Fedski, Nrghhh, Science-Fantasy93, britstar4, FanficFreakazoid, vanou1991, Aroxim, xFlipJamsx, monkey87, bleedmyHeartout, , BloodyLilly, scorpiustar, candygal4u, Aiko no Kazem,** **KrisCheshee; Thank you for all the reviews, subs and favourites! Xxx**

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**Princ3ssTabz; There are no words for you 3 3 xxxx**

**

* * *

**

Chapter 10.

Conscious.

Ginny was fuming. She literally couldn't contain her rage. She pounded at the stone floor with her heels, breathing heavily.

Heel, sole, toe. Heel, sole, toe.

She was practically flying through the halls. Her Gryffindor robes and fiery red hair were flared out behind her, as if from the tail of a comet. Her cheeks were flushed with heat and her angular eyebrows were pushed downwards into a frown, twisting her features into a fuming angry scowl, which was misleading as she was usually a sassy beauty.

But not today.

Today was the day she was dealing with her brother. She wanted to kill him, but she didn't want to see him. She had to shout at him, but she didn't want to speak to him. She secretly wanted him to have magically left the school or something.

A lot of portraits raised their eyebrows as she steamed past on the war path. She wanted to give them the finger and tell them to mind their own.

But she didn't.

Because that wasn't her, she wasn't that kind of person.

She pounded on.

Harry Potter was doing his best to keep up, sprinting after her after having been held up by the moving staircases which he could swear had it in for him. He was slowing to a jog, clutching his side where a stitch was beginning to manifest itself. He ran a hand through his jet black hair, further messing it up, and then let out a long exasperated sigh.

He didn't want to see his best friend any more than Ginny did, but it couldn't be avoided. It just reminded what Dumbledore had said eight years ago.

"_It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."_

It was going to be hard, and frankly, he'd prefer another round with Voldemort.

He sped up, finally catching up to his girlfriend. He caught up with her and grabbed her as gently as he could by the arm, pulling her and spinning her back to face him. He breathed hard for a second, before gathering his breath. She was waiting almost patiently, but he could see she was itching to go, looking over her shoulder and shuffling her feet a lot.

"…Gin, what are you going to say when you get to him?" He queried desperately.

She let out a long breath and dropped her shoulders, drooping.

"I… I don't know…" she sighed, looking up into his green eyes with watery brown ones, "I… I don't… know…."

A tear leaked down her cheek and Harry matched her sigh, pulling her into him and holding her close to his chest as she cried into his shoulder.

"Neither do I, Gin, neither do I," he murmured quietly, stroking her hair, "I just know we need to. Hermione won't, and she'll never let Malfoy, he'd murder Ron."

Ginny hiccoughed and nodded.

"It hurts doesn't it, sometimes?" she mumbled.

"Hm? What does?"

"Doing the right thing."

"Yeah, it does."

They stood silently for a minute or so, just wrapped in each other. He laid his head against hers and inhaled her flowery scent.

"I love you, Gin," he whispered, but not loud enough for her to hear. His silent offering to her, he supposed.

After a while, she began to pull away.

"We have to go do something, I guess," she mumbled. He nodded and gripped her hand tightly, giving it a squeeze of encouragement, and they walked, hand in hand to the Gryffindor common room.

-ooo-

Draco stood shocked, but while his brain was frozen, his instincts kicked in and he jolted forward, grabbing Granger and pulling her behind him while simultaneously pulling his wand out. She gasped at his sudden movement but he ignored it.

Nott cackled, twisting his wand between his thumb and forefinger while keeping it pointed at them.

"Ah, dear, I think you are over doing the 'Black Sheep of the Family' role now, Draco, you always were a spare, even to the Dark Lord!" Nott laughed again, sending shivers down Draco's spine. He could feel Granger shudder just to the side of him too.

She had moved, also drawing her wand. He subconsciously pulled her closer to him.

"What are you doing here?" Draco snarled through gritted teeth.

"'What are you doing here?'" Nott mocked in a baby voice, with a huge grin plastered across his sallow face, "I'm…" his eyes twitched to Granger, "…exterminating Vermin."

Then he threw his head back, cackling again.

Draco growled and tightened his grip around his wand, snatching up Granger's hand and pulling her back behind him.

She wasn't happy about this, but she didn't argue. She pressed herself closer into him and peeped round his arm, inhaling his peppermint scent. She could feel his entire presence was tense and she knew a fight was going to happen.

And she hoped she was ready.

Because she was damned if she was going to let him fight alone.

"Get. Out. You shouldn't be here. Get out." Draco snarled, barely audible through his twisted lips and gritted teeth.

Hermione was frozen to the ground in shear fear.

"No, I don't think I will. Why don't you hand her over, Draco? For old time's sake?"

Draco growled slightly. Narrowing his eyes.

"No? But she can't mean that much to you." Nott raised his eyebrows inquisitively while smirking at them, "She's a Mudblood." He spat the last word, as if it were acid on his tongue, rolling it off so that it cut into Hermione like a knife. Usually she was unaffected, but it was more the situation.

"Don't use that word." Draco spat back.

"Well, Draco, you HAVE changed. Your father would be SO disappointed. Maybe I should discipline you for him?" Nott twitched his wand and raised it slightly.

"Be. My. GUEST." Challenged Draco, prepping his own wand. Hermione gripped her wand tighter, so that it dug into her palm.

"Fine. On your head be it," he threatened gleefully, Pulling his wand hand back then thrusting it forward with his spell, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"PROTEGO!" roared Draco, and then all three of them were flung into battle, two on one.

"STUPEFY!" Screamed Hermione. She dashed outside of her forced protection, which shocked Malfoy and nearly made a killing spell hit him.

Draco dodged a spell coming his way, and fired one back, dancing between jets of light.

"Granger! Please, Stay OUT OF IT!" He yelled towards her through the noise.

"No! NO WAY!" She shouted back, furiously defiant, "I am involved too!" She added as she ducked another killing curse, deflecting another with a shield charm.

Nott's cruel laugh drifted over. "Protecting your Mudblood whore, Draco?"

Draco twisted his features back into the snarl and began fighting more vigorously.

Nott screamed "REDUCTO!" which was athletically dodged by Draco, who let it fly beyond him and crash into a suit of armour, turning it to dust and taking a chunk out of the stone wall in one explosion.

This managed to attract attention.

Nearly Headless Nick floated through a wall at that point.

"Oh, my!" He exclaimed as a curse went straight through him, leaving a significant dent in one of the portraits. "I'll get the Headmistress!"

Nott growled at this. He had to get out. But he wanted the Mudblood dead. The Malfoy boy too now that he was a blood traitor.

"CRUCIO!" he yelled, pointing his wand at the Mudblood.

Draco saw what was happening. He dived, pushing Hermione out of the way and narrowly missing the curse himself. This left him unprotected.

Nott needed to leave.

"STUPEFY!" He yelled quickly, and dumbly. He should have just killed them.

The spell, however, managed to get through, hitting Draco squarely on the chest, sending him flying backwards into a wall.

At that moment, McGonagall, Flitwick, Slughorn and a couple of newly arrived Aurors that Hermione didn't recognise arrived on the scene, and began chasing after the fleeing Deatheater. Flitwick paused for a moment.

"Miss Granger! My dear girl, get yourself and Mr Malfoy to the hospital wing or your dorms immediately! This is not safe!" And then he was gone.

Hermione's brain kicked into gear. She jumped up and strode quickly over to Malfoy, dropping to her knees next to him. She held his semi-conscious crumpled body to her. She ran her fingers through his hair, then felt something wet. She lifted her fingers up.

"Oh my Godric!" She whispered. He was bleeding substantially. His white-blond hair was streaked with red and it was pooling ever so slightly on the floor. She whipped her wand out, muttering a few spells.

"Accio Dittany!" she called pointing her wand in the vague direction of her Dorm. If it worked for Harry and his Firebolt, it had to work for her, right?

Sure enough, a small dark bottle whizzed through the air toward her. She caught it, just, and unstopped it feverishly with her teeth, pulling the tiny cork out hurriedly.

"Come on, Come on!" she muttered.

She lifted his head, he groaned slightly, making her take a sharp intake of breath and hold it in as she dripped a few drops onto the wound. It began to heal over slightly, almost ignoring the dry blood around it, making it look like it had come from nowhere.

But he still wasn't waking up.

She was panicking now.

"Come on, you insufferable ferret! Wake UP!" she cried desperately, "Help! Please! Someone? Come on, Draco, you HAVE to wake up! Please!"

She planted feverish kisses on his forehead and cheeks.

"Please! I love you! You can't leave me! Please!"

He could hear, and he could feel. But his eyelids were like lead, he couldn't open them. He could hear the pain in her voice and he wanted to say something, but he couldn't. Then he heard words, his name… a confession…

Then he heard clicking heels, and Madame Pomfrey's voice.

Hermione stood watching them carry Malfoy away. A tear rolled down her cheek, they wouldn't let her go with him.

He felt weightless, someone must be levitating him, and he was placed down on a stretcher, and he managed to twitch his finger. His body was loosening, his eyes drifted half open. He could see the ceiling. And only the ceiling. And it was moving. Or he was. One of the two.

He wanted Granger, where the hell was she? He had to tell her… He could move his lips now…

"I love you too."

* * *

**I didn't want this story to be cheesy but I think I made it cheesy :( Sorry if I did… **

**Janey xx**


	12. Almost

**Agnofinis, latiatia19, blured lines, vanou1991, cwtigerlily, haileydelacour101, dreadfuldelights, DaRk AnGeL oF sOrRoW rEtUrNs, palookacat, Loslote, DMBTwilight, Merrri, Science-Fantasy93, Anzlicious, saladenicoise, LissaDragonmir, hpfan35, xXSexgoddessXx, katertot84,** **precaution, KrisCheshee,** **aeoc94, TwinsConspiracy, elestria kion, tuffsugarcookies,** **iLoveRomance2O1O, rArA luvs you lots, DjDangerfan607, wickedsoulx, bleedmyHeartout, A.J AL; Thankyou for all the reviews/favourites/subscriptions! **

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**Princ3ssTabz; Always been your number one fan, I love you Babe (: xxxxxx**

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**I have been told that my previous chapter and one of the others was too M for this story to be a T, and as a result of this response to the previous chapter, I am obliged to change the rating to M. Just to add: I didn't think it was very M at all O_O The story will continue in the current style it was already in, and I won't get more risky, because that's not what my story was about and I never thought it was very M at all, but apparently I was wrong so I apologise for anyone that has been/is offended.**

**Janey xx**

**Disclaimer: I think that drink is mine…? No, wait. It's my sister's. And she's using my freaking Harry Potter mug! D: **

Chapter 11.

Almost.

Ginny Weasley stormed through the portrait hole, hand flat on the wood to make sure it was fully open before she flung herself through it after muttering the password "_Redvines_". She was gripping Harry's hand firmly, and to the point of pain, decidedly on the war path that lead directly to her brother.

Harry felt like his arm was going to fall off.

Ginny came to an abrupt halt in the common room, her lip curled in a snarl and Harry stood just behind her gripping her hand and looking equally as disapproving.

In front of them, Ron sat on a big arm chair facing the fire, arms entwined around Lavender who lay sprawled on his lap as they snogged ungraciously.

"Ronald." Ginny hissed, fuming.

Ron started slightly, frowning and moving away from Lavender's face, who continued to nuzzle into his neck.

"What?"

"Get the whore off you before I start talking, Ronald, she might have other jobs around." Ginny shot at him scathingly.

Lavender's head snapped up.

"Did you just call me a slut?" she snarled at Ginny.

Harry raised his eyebrows.

"No, I believe she called you a hooker." He said innocently.

Ron's ears went red.

"Don't you dare talk about Lav like that!"

"I was merely clarifying, mate."

Ginny gripped Harry's hand tighter. Silent support.

"Ronald, we're here for a reason." She said quietly and dangerously.

"Get to it then." Ron hissed back.

If looks could kill, Lavender would have murdered Ginny by now.

"We… we know what you… you... did..." Ginny's voice quivered slightly.

Harry moved closer to her, tight by her side, one arm twisted around her waist. She sent him a small smile before looking back her brother who was frowning in confusion.

Lavender looked slightly worried.

"What you did to… Hermione…" Ginny finished, and then sighed in relief with a mix of Triumph.

She really hadn't thought she'd be able to do this.

Harry kissed her temple lightly.

Realisation and horror crossed Ron's face for a moment before he recovered himself.

He knew he had two options.

Admit and Beg.

Deny and Fight.

He suddenly looked smug.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he smirked arrogantly. A smirk worthy of Malfoy himself.

Lavender caught his tone and gave a high pitched giggle before kissing him lightly on the cheek and jumping up.

"Well, Won-Won, I must be going, I need to write an essay before I go to bed tonight. Love you!" she continued to giggle as she pranced off up the stairs.

Ron grinned smugly after her.

Ginny felt so infuriated and turned back to her Brother.

"Yes you do! You TORTURED her! For Godric's sake! You make me SICK!"

"I've done nothing you can prove." Ron stated, his smirk transforming into a menacing grin.

"YOU ABSOLUTE BAST-" Ginny began to scream, Harry pulled her away, beginning to drag her away from the provoking smile of Ron.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER! You will let me go right NOW!"

Harry pulled her upstairs into the boys' dorm and out of earshot.

He whispered a quick _Muffliato _on the door and turned to see Ginny's scowl 5 inches from his own face.

"Ginny! He's right, we can't prove-"

"Oh, HELL no! You are NOT on his side!"

"No, I'm not! We have no proof! We can't-"

"WHY CAN'T WE? WE'LL MAKE HIM ADMIT IT?"

"PLEASE! Ginny! Stop! We need proof! Hermione's memory or something? We can't just-"

"I DON'T WANT TO WAIT!" Ginny was nearly crying from rage.

"Ginny! Stop yelling! We need to think!"

"No! I am NOT thinking!" she fumed.

"Ginny, at least leave it tonight? Please, I-"

"FINE" she yelled, cutting him off, "I'm going to bed Harry. Bye."

She stomped out of the room and to the girls' dormitory. Arms crossed tightly across her chest, face almost murderous.

Harry massaged his temple, frowning. He pulled his shirt off, stepped out of his trousers and yanked on some pyjamas, then lay back on his bed with his arms folded behind his head, mind whirring.

He ignored Ron when he came in.

-000-

Hermione Granger paced outside the hospital wing. After Malfoy had been taken to up on a levitating stretcher, she'd attempted to go back up to the common room to wait it out. She had been about to say the password when she realised Ronald would be in there. She'd promptly turned on her heel, thoroughly irritating the Fat Lady, and high-tailed it back to the Hospital wing where she was now waiting until Madame Pomfrey deemed Malfoy 'ready' for visitors.

Of course he'd probably still be unconscious. But that didn't matter.

Her feet clicked in rhythm as she paced.

1… 2… 3… 4… 5… turn.

Madame Pomfrey had tried to insist on healing Hermione's cuts and curse wound. Hermione had flapped her arms and moaned as if trying to rid the air of an annoying bug. The older woman had simple 'hmph'ed and gone back inside the hospital wing, again denying Hermione entry.

1… 2… 3… 4… 5… and back.

She almost jumped out of her skin as the doors suddenly creaked open.

Madame Pomfrey stood in the door way, wagging her finger as a signal that Hermione could now come in.

Hermione hurried in, half running, half speed walking, before she was stopped in her tracks by a nasty sight.

Pansy Parkinson was sitting at Malfoy's bedside, holding his hand and cooing over the sleeping boy.

The Slytherin girl's head flicked up.

"What ARE you doing here, Mudblood?"

"Quiet! I will have none of that language in my room, thank you very much!" Madame Pomfrey scolded, looking flustered.

Hermione was speechless. "Madame Pomfrey!" she managed to gasp out, "You- You- said no… no visitors…?" She was breathing heavily, nearly hyperventilating.

"Well, dear," Madame Pomfrey said gently, albeit frowning slightly, "Miss Parkinson bumped into us on the way up to the Wing. I wouldn't have let her stay if she hadn't assured me she was Mr Malfoy's girlfriend…?"

Pansy's smirk was unbearable to Hermione.

"We made up last night," she clarified gleefully.

"You were never dating in the first place!" Hermione burst out, and then bit her tongue. '_Idiot._' She scolded inwardly.

Pansy raised her eyebrows.

"What would YOU know, Granger? Why ARE you here anyway?"

Hermione felt her nose tingle and her cheeks flame as her eyes welled up.

"N-Nothing… I… I was going to ask… Madame P-Pomfrey," she turned to the healer, "if she'd look a-at my wounds… b-but I don't need you to…" Hermione took in a sharp of breath of air, sniffed and turned to walk out, striding with as much dignity as she could muster, before her face crumpled into tears once she was far enough away.

Back inside the hospital wing, Draco felt himself stirring. He frowned and squinted. It was almost completely dark outside and the light from the many candles around the ceiling of the Wing was almost blinding. He looked to his side to see someone leaning over him.

"Gran- PANSY?" He sat up suddenly, eyes wide, "What… What the Hell?"

"Drakey-"

"Don't call me that."

"-I came to look after you!"

"In the name of Salazar, WHY?"

"Because you're my boyfriend, silly!" she smiled soppily.

"Madame Pomfrey!" Draco yelled.

The healer came scurrying back into the room, panicking slightly.

"Mr Malfoy! What's wrong?" Then she sighed, relieved there wasn't anything majorly wrong, he just looked a little peeved.

"I can NOT sleep with this delusional girl here!"

Madame Pomfrey looked puzzled. "But she said she was your girlfriend?"

"Dear, LORD! Not you too? Just… Just make her leave?" He ran a hand through his Platinum hair before slumping backwards exasperatedly on to the pillow, exhausted.

Madame Pomfrey looked startled, but nodded once even though Draco couldn't see.

"Happy to," she muttered under her breath so the infuriating girl couldn't hear. Then, louder, she coaxed, "Come on, dear, leave Mr Malfoy to rest!" and with a flick of her wand, opened the door.

Pansy looked disgruntled, but left anyway.

After the door was shut, Madame Pomfrey began to extinguish candles for bed.

"Oh, by the way, Mr Malfoy," she paused in her work to turn to him.

Draco cocked his head, listening.

"Miss Granger stopped by, I presume to see you, but was deterred by Miss Parkinson. I just thought you ought to know." She smiled kindly before putting out the last candle and exiting the room.

Draco lay silently, fuming.

Granger was here?

He thumped the mattress.

Why couldn't he have woken up sooner?

He'd almost had her.

**Review? Please?**

**(:**

**Much love,**

**Janey xxx**


	13. Rediscover

**Summerlily028, ** **personofnoconcern3000, ManMenDude, Loslote, -Babyeex.X, bookinspired, blured lines, EmJIndieBaby, KialeyBrooke, HopelessRomantic31, Pau-0803, Babygurl09, Nicolette Darke, Tinkerbell81, Geraldine89, vampirefan101, vanou1991, poisoned blood,** **LaRee333, samarahavery11, Anzlicious, suddenlysmiling, cazares.a, Bulba-chan, Mcfly luver; Thankyou so much for all the reviews/subs/favourites (: xxx**

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**As always, my constant dedication to: SparklingVamps (Formerly Princ3ssTabz) Love you xxxxxx**

**Disclaimer: Do you really think I'd be on here if I owned any of this? I only own the mattress of the Hospital Bed that Draco was on.**

**Guys. This has been a while. I am fully aware of this and I can only offer my sincerest apologies, because I know excuses will probably amount to nothing.**

**This is also the reason that it is short, I simply needed to upload the half document I recovered in order to remind you I'm here and that I haven't left or given up.**

Chapter 12.

Rediscover.

Theodore Nott Sr. slunk amongst the shadows of flickering flames which belonged to the wall mounted torches. He moved quickly, or as quickly as the aging Deatheater could, weaving through statues and bending away from the sleeping portraits.

Moonlight danced off the breastplates of the suits of armour as it seeped through the windows, declaring itself as the only other penetration of movement other than Nott.

His feet padded almost silently across the stone floor of the school. His head swivelled quickly, judging the area and contemplating where the hell he should go, considering he'd never left the school the first time he'd been chased.

Something pearly white caught his eye.

A ghost was drifting down the hallway, idly humming, flipping his head on and off, which was partially joined to his neck.

Nott recognised him as Sir Nicholas… Nearly Headless Nick…

The Deatheater pressed back against a tapestry and disappeared into an alcove to wait it out.

He listened until the ghosts humming was gone and waited another minute or so to be safe before pulling back the elaborate hanging fabric to take a look. He turned his head both ways, up and down the corridor, before judging it to be safe and uncoiling himself from his hiding place and stepping back out into the hall.

Keeping close to the wall, he moved on down the corridor after an idea struck clean into his head. At the end of the hall was a large blank wall. He moved away from the side and stood in the middle in front of it. He turned on his heel to face the adjacent wall to the right, which had a portrait of a rather large, snoozing, old man hanging on it.

The Malfoy kid had shown him this during the battle. He hoped it was right.

He began to walk.

_I need a place to hide._

Once he had reached the portrait he was facing, he turned one hundred and eighty degrees to face the opposite wall, which had a golden tapestry on it, and began to walk again.

_I need a place to hide._

A door started to blossom across the beige stone bricks, so he began to walk back towards the old man's portrait one final time.

_I need a place to hide._

A large ornate door adorned the originally blank wall. Its wood seemed almost weaved into the stone and it shivered slightly as Nott grasped the handle and unceremoniously yanked the door open.

-000-

It had been days since the attack. Hermione sat, hunched over a book in the library, not caring whether Malfoy was in the hospital wing or not. She hadn't even spoken to him since her little chat with Pansy.

The frizzy brown haired girl couldn't help feeling guilty though. Her head was just filled with image after image of him bleeding in her arms.

No.

No..

NO.

Tears filled her eyes and the corners of her mouth turned down. She bit her bottom lip, screwing her eyes up and covering them with her hands. She refused to cry.

It's not like they were ever REALLY together. It was all false… wasn't it?

She continued to worsen the scenario in her mind.

It was all to wind up Parkinson and Ron… He's back with her now... it meant nothing… I'm just, and always have been, a Mudblood to him… just a Mudblood…

She wiped furiously at the lids beneath her eyes, refusing to let tears fall… Her vision blurred and she gritted her teeth, setting her jaw.

"Granger, what are you sobbing over?"

Her head snapped up. And there, framed by the shelves on either side of him, was a platinum blonde boy with pointed features.

"Get out of here, Malfoy." She spat, punctuating every word.

He looked slightly taken aback by this, his brow furrowing for half a second before returning to a dead pan expression.

"This is a public library, bookworm… What's got your wand in a knot?" He drawled.

"Oh shut up. I'm sure your little whore, Pansy," she spoke Pansy's name with a snarl, as if it were venom, "will be waiting for you."

Draco's mind soured. _Oh, she's playing it like that? Not so clever after all… She KNOWS what Parkinson is like… _

But his pride got the better of him.

"Why does it matter, Granger? For someone who was pretending to be with me, you sound awfully upset…" His top lip curled into a sort of grimacing snarl.

She let out several shaky, deep breaths, trying not to break down.

"What do you care? Why should you EVER care how I feel, Malfoy?"

"I thought we'd done this! I told you what I felt? In the hall way? Before the attack? Brightest Witch, my arse."

"But it was all pretend, wasn't it?" She hissed, standing up, "You have Pansy, don't you? Don't you?" She demanded.

He pursed his lips, gritting his teeth, fuming, and shaking his head slowly. _Idiotic girl._

"You said you loved me."

She paled.

"N-no… I didn't…"

"You did. When you thought I couldn't hear it…"

"Well it doesn't fucking matter now, does it?" she cried.

"She's a LIAR! You know that! How stupid are you?" he let out, exasperated

"Oh, so I'm stupid, now-"

"OH MY SALAZAR. Granger. Bigger Picture. Please." He massaged the bride of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut.

Hermione was silent.

"What are we doing, Hermione…?" he whispered softly, his eyes still shut as he walked forward, closer and leant his forehead against hers, his hands on the tops of her arms.

"I don't even know… All I know is…" She shut her eyes, "It's the first time anything has felt right… In a long time… for me…" And she bent her elbows to grip the underside of his forearms.

They stood, foreheads together, eyes squeezed shut, holding on to each other for dear life, for fear of being ripped apart, in the deafening silence.

Draco moved his head up, so that his nose glided across hers as she tilted her head to the side, bringing their lips together.


	14. Laughter

**This is the penultimate chapter.**

**It is dedicated to everyone who has ever read, or will read, this story.**

**It is for all those that have reviewed, subscribed or favourite myself and/or this story.**

**You made this story what it is, not me.**

**Thank you.**

Chapter 13.

Laughter.

The aged Deatheater wrinkled his nose at the charred remains within the room. There were items littering the floor, leather bound books where just the cover had half survived, the handle of a broomstick, a metal birdcage, the handle from a burned and ruined vanishing cabinet that would no longer work…

What the hell had happened here in the war?

He knelt by a heap of shelves and ashes, that were scattered near the wall and cast a quick revealing charm.

An orange vision erupted in the air just in front of him, revealing a curse.

"Fiendfyre?"

He furrowed his brow.

Well this wouldn't be a good place to hide.

He straightened up, groaning as his back clicked, and stretched.

He turned back to the door, intending to leave and find somewhere else, since the Room of Requirement clearly wasn't suitable any longer.

He frowned at the sight.

The door was… It was…

Well, it was _flickering_.

In and out of existence… Like a bad muggle Telly-vish-on?

He raised his wand.

"REDUCTO." He yelled at the door.

The door flicked out of existence just before the spell hit. It created a crater in the wall, and when the door tried to flick back, it couldn't.

_I need a way to leave this room..._

_I need a way to leave this room…_

_I need a way to-_

He was thinking furiously… Nothing seemed to be happening…

"I am going to find and kill whoever set that FiendFyre curse off..." he growled.

There was a cackling from the corner.

"Ironically, he's already dead."

Nott spun round to search for the voice.

A portrait was propped in the corner. It contained an aged man, with a cropped dark beard and green robes. He had dark beady eyes with crow's feet at the corners and laughter lines decorating his cheeks. His nose hooked downwards slightly and his lips were thin and pink, matching his deathly pale skin.

He was also currently laughing his head off.

"Who are you?" Nott demanded, raising and eyebrow and tapping his foot impatiently.

The painting cackled again, wiping a tear from his eye.

"What does it matter? You're utterly ruined anyway..." it snorted.

"WHAT IS SO FUNNY?" the Deatheater roared, raising his wand.

The man in the painting continued laughing and doubled over.

"REDUCTO," Nott screamed again. The spell exploded over the portrait in colour and the frame jumped off, disintegrating and scattering everywhere, thickening the air around it.

Nott was breathing heavily through his nose with gritted teeth, silence ringing in his ears, staring at the dust.

Then there was the cackling again.

The painting lay bare on its paper, flat on the floor.

The man with in it continued laughing.

"The room does not work," he cackled, "and you're stuck in here with the magically protected portrait of a man deemed mad 100 years ago."

Nott's jaw dropped.

"Wha-"

"You want to kill the person who ruined the room when he died as a result of it..." the painting cut him off with, biting its lip so as not to laugh. "Master Crabbe…"

Nott snarled, gripping his wand tightly, so that his fingernails made little half-moon indentations into his palms.

"That's what's so funny..." the old man stated, dead pan.

Then he erupted into giggles again.

Nott pursed his lips, dropped his wand, sunk to his knees and covered his ears with his bare hands, screaming.

He blamed Draco.

-000-

"It's very expensive… due to its brewing difficulty, Mr Potter… but I could be good to you… The Golden Boy and all..?"

The alchemist gave Harry a very toothy grin. His gums were blackened and his teeth were yellow. Harry cringed away slightly.

"Umm… Yeah… No… that's fine…" Harry nodded, holding his bag of Galleons out with a fully extended arm, not wanting to get any closer.

The hunched man greedily accepted and exchanged the money, which he didn't take his eyes off once, for the small silvery bottle.

Harry gripped it and slipped it inside of his robes.

"Thanks." He offered, but the man was too preoccupied with his new Galleons and just waved Harry away.

The black haired boy shrugged slightly and pushed the door open and left the very small shop in Knockturn Alley.

He'd had to argue with McGonnagall for an hour to persuade her to allow him out for the day to get this. It was a Saturday. And he'd had to tell her it was for something else.

Obviously.

She'd never approve of slipping another student Veritaserum.

But he'd got the something else as well when he was in Muggle London.

He thumbed the small Tiffany's box in his other pocket, wondering if it would go down well or not…

-000-

"Drakey-"

"Don't call me that."

"-Are you still seeing that Mudblood?" Pansy pouted.

Salazar. Her voice made his skin crawl. He shuddered.

"No-"

She relaxed.

"-I'm seeing Hermione Granger." He finished.

"But you MUST be faking this! You hate her! She was the Mudblood! The bookworm! Why have you changed! This is not you!" She hissed.

They were sat in the Great Hall at Dinner, and for some reason, unbeknown to Draco, he was sitting next to Pansy Parkinson again.

He sighed exasperatedly, but didn't answer.

Because he didn't know how to.

He stared over at the Gryffindor table longingly.

"Drakey!"

"I _swear_" he snarled, "Call me that one more time, and I will take this knife," He held up his spoon, "And ram it up your-"

"Draco."

"WHAT?"

"That's a spoon." She nodded patronisingly.

He gritted his teeth and completed his meal in silence.

Over at the Gryffindor table, Harry and Ginny were both eating in silence too in contemplation of the job they had given themselves.

Ginny glanced up.

Hermione was standing by the Ravenclaw table, talking to Luna.

Good.

Her eyes flicked to the door where she spotted her brother.

"Harry!" she whispered.

With his seeker reflexes, his hand shot out and poured the contents of his silver bottle into an empty goblet next to him, before hiding the bottle away again under his robes.

Ron trudged along.

Lavender was mysteriously ill in the hospital wing after eating some cookies she'd found by her bed, so Ron was alone.

"Hey, Ron!" Harry gestured him over.

Ron was surprised.

"What?"

"Saved you a seat!"

Ron looked around for Hermione but couldn't see her. He was suddenly smug and making the wrong assumptions.

Hermione noticed this, and frowned, panicky, glancing between Harry, Ginny and Ron. Then looked over for Draco, but he was looking determinedly at his food, ignoring Pansy, who was attempting to hug him.

Hermione was torn between angry jealousy at Pansy, and offence from Harry and Ginny.

But Ginny caught her eye.

Ginny was staring at Hermione reassuringly, and then mouthed "bear with us!" to her friend.

Hermione calmed slightly, and looked around.

"Sit here, Hermione" smiled Luna dreamily.

She nodded once and perched next to Luna on the Ravenclaw bench.

Ron was shoving food into his face at an alarming rate, and Harry and Ginny were watching him. Ginny leant her chin on her hands.

"You may want to take a drink somewhere in there, Ron," she muttered.

Ron looked like he hadn't heard her, but sure enough; he grabbed the nearest Goblet, and gulped all of the drink down, before slamming the goblet down and continued eating.

Harry and his girlfriend exchanged looks.

"So, uh... Ron?" Harry began.

"Wha'?" He replied, mouth full.

"What did you do to Hermione in that empty classroom?" he asked, cautiously, with a sideways glance at Ginny, who nodded once in support.

"Attacked 'er," he stated casually through his mouthfuls of food.

Half the Gryffindors went silent and looked down the table at the Red head.

Ron froze.

His head snapped up, suddenly realising what he'd said.

He tried to deny it, but the Veritaserum worked his lips, pushing different words out.

"Ruined her. With Lavender…"

He gritted his teeth and breathed heavily, fuming, his ears went red.

He turned to Harry.

"What. Have. You. Done. To. Me?" He snarled.

Harry shook his head sadly, disappointment washing over him.

"Mate. What have you done to yourself?"

The red haired boy felt the negativity, his insides tightening. The Gryffindors saw him flinch slightly.

Remorse…?

Or was that Harry hoping?

Ron swung off the bench and strode out.

"I'm done." he muttered as he left the hall.

-000-

Ronald Weasley never fully spoke about his attack on Hermione. Rumours went round numerous times about him and Lavender. They were publically scorned by other students, and were abandoned by any friends they seemed to have left.

Two Gryffindors, supposedly from the house of the brave, were cowards in the face of confrontation.

-000-

"Draco?"

"Yes, Granger?"

"Are you ever going to stop calling me "Granger"?"

Draco blinked. "What? I called you that after you got my attention… that can't have been your question!"

They were sitting under a tree by the lake. It was the last day of term and the sun was beating down, and, as a result of this, the entire student body was outside, having completed the final exams, packed their bags, and were waiting to be taken down to the Hogwarts Express.

"But you always call me it," She stated defiantly.

He rolled his eyes and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Habit, shall I stop... Hermione?"

He slid her name over his tongue and contemplated it.

She tutted. "Oh don't act like it's a big thing, you've called me it before." She folded her arms and laughed.

He smirked his signature smirk.

"Yeah, but that was only ever to get your attention, or to make you do things for me."

She sighed and played with his hand. "Oh, shut up."

Then he laughed. A real laugh. With her, not at her. Containing no hint of scorn or venom. Very un-Draco-Malfoy-ish.

"I love you, Hermione Granger."

**This is effectively the end. I will post one more chapter to tie it up, but it will mainly be a manipulation of one of JK Rowling's previous ideas.**

**One more to go. **

**Janey xx**


	15. All Was Well

**This is the Final Chapter. Thank you so much for all of the support you've given me. You guys are incredible. I love you all. I hope you enjoyed it, if you didn't, I'm sorry. **

**I love you. This chapter is for anyone that has ever read my work.**

**Janey Faith Banquee xx**

**Disclaimer: As I said previously, this is effectively a manipulation of JK Rowling's previous ideas. It's the finale. A lot of this is from JK herself, in the Final chapter of DH. I do not own the characters, nor some of the wording.**

Chapter 14.

19 Years Later.

A group of four people emerged from the mist to join a black haired man and his fiery wife, and their three children, two of which were bickering over houses.

"Hi," said one of the small, dark haired children. Harry Potter smiled down at his second son, Albus, as he greeted the four new people. Lily looked out from behind her mother's leg.

Rose, who was already wearing her brand new Hogwarts robes, beamed at him.

Draco Malfoy reached out a hand to Harry, who grinned, grasped it, and shook it... before pulling Malfoy into a hug.

Draco responded but then pulled back. "Don't get all drippy, Potter, people might see."

Hermione laughed at her husband and held onto her youngest son, Scorpius's hand.

Draco looked down at Rose. "If you're not in Slytherin, we'll disinherit you."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I won't. I hope you're in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw-"

"I'll disinherit you if you get in to Hufflepuff." Draco nodded.

Rose looked solemn, while Scorpius and Lily laughed.

"He doesn't mean it," laughed Ginny.

Draco was no longer paying attention. Catching Harry's eye, he nodded covertly to a point some 50 yards away. The steam had thinned for a moment, and a small group of people stood in sharp relief against the mist.

"Look. It's Weasel."

Harry followed Draco's gaze, frowning at the nickname Draco still used. In the pit of his stomach he missed Ron, in truth. Even after what happened. They had been friends after all.

Ronald Weasley turned away from Lavender for a moment to look back at his old friend. He saw the two families, focusing on one in particular, and struggled to find a facial expression to meet the situation. His ears promptly turned red.

Harry tried to smile, but failed, so nodded at Ron. Ron returned the gesture.

The silence was broken as a very excitable James came running, babbling something about his cousin and Theodore Lupin, that Draco just blanked out. The Potter Dramas were of no interest to him, despite his and Harry's strange relationship.

Harry checked the battered, old watch that had been Fabian Prewett's .

"It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board."

"Don't forget to give Neville our love!" the Weaslette was saying to her eldest.

Draco knelt infront of his daughter and hugged her. He didn't want to be the cold father that he himself had had.

"Love you, small one." He murmured.

Rose wriggled free of him. "I'm not THAT small." She said, matter-of-factly.

Potter was saying something to Albus about choices as Draco stood, placing a hand on Rose's shoulder.

"You will be fine." Then he let go.

Hermione fussed over Rose a bit, getting tearful like any mother sending their eldest to Hogwarts. Parents swarmed to the windows and doors as students clambered into the train.

"Why are they all _staring_?" demanded Albus, as he and Rose craned round to look at the other students.

"Don't worry," Draco responded, "They all fancy me." Hermione rolled her eyes. The kids laughed.

The train began to pull away, and Potter strode alongside it for a while before being caught up by Ginny and stopping. Draco stood his ground, Scorpius holding onto his leg and Hermione to his left, clinging to his arm with her head on his shoulder.

"I miss her already," she murmured to him.

He kissed her on her forehead.

"The price of having family; they grow up."

Hermione smiled. "When did you get so wise, Draco Malfoy?"

He chuckled silently, but didn't respond.

And they stood on the platform, watching the train chug out of sight as a family.

All was well.


End file.
